I apologize for neglecting this thread. Over the weekend, I binged on "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker", and hardly checked this list at all. (On the plus side, I did win the game. )

Ground Rules> Fujisawa4654, I would be happy to discuss the rules to this game with you. Unfortunately, I barely ever turn on my AIM, so it would help if you could let me know what times of day you're online (and what time zone you're in, of course). I can make an effort to check at around those times.

Rosh's problems> It's a shame that jewel_of_roshtaria is having trouble posting. Since she started the whole thing, she certainly deserves a say in it. Looking back at her first post, she called dibs on Fatora. Given the way the game currently seems to be developing, that could be problematic. ^_^;;

Character Pictures> Oh, my... I really don't think you guys want to be exposed to my artistic skills. They're not exactly l33t. I don't suppose we have someone playing who CAN draw, and who would be willing to draw character sketches for the other, more handicapped players?

Former Necromancers> Panicpaladin, I found myself a little worried by your character bio, with what you put under "Previous Occupation". So, I'll use that excuse to launch into a long, rambling lecture that I hope will be useful to people creating characters for this game. ^_^

With a game like this, it's best to design characters that fit well within the constraints defined by the original series. If no limits are placed, then you end up with a hodgepodge of characters that few can really relate to other than the player that created them:

Player one: Well... I don't much like Star Wars... Lesbian catgirls are cool, though! Wanna cyber, player two?

Player two: Forget it! Digimon sucks.

Player one: Oh, well, I'll just go off and ramble along in my own story until I get bored and quit.

Mod: ...Right. Player two?

Player two: I'll start my own story, too, and anyone who wants to join can!

Player three: Hey, I'll bring in my character, and your lesbian catgirl can hit on him! That could be funny!

Player two: Nah, I'm actually waiting for another player with a cute female character to join my thread, so that the two of us can spin off a long, fluffy romance with no real relationship to the rest of the game, and interesting to no one other than us. I'm not interested in romantic action/adventure comedy.

Mod: *Urge to kill rising* You do realize you're playing an El-Hazard RPG, right? A world pretty much based on romantic action/adventure comedy?

Player one: Digimon does NOT suck! And I don't need anyone else, anyway.

Player three: Anyway, looks like I'll be starting my own story, too.

Mod: This bodes ill...

*One week later the players all got sick of playing with only themselves, and quit.*

(End humorous example)That was, of course, an exaggerated case (not TOO exaggerated, though - given no limits, players often put together characters that are a chaotic mishmash of whatever it is that they consider cool at a given moment), but it helps to illustrate a main point: All of us who are playing this game are El-Hazard fans, to some extent. But we aren't necessarily all Digimon/Star Wars/Furry/whatever else fans, and introducing those elements has the potential to throw a game into confusion.

As El-Hazard fans, we know certain things about the Earth from the series, and about El-Hazard from the series. Earth seemed to be a pretty ordinary place. While the show didn't spend much time there, there was no sign of magic, or aliens, or supernatural creatures, or any other sorts of weirdness. It was a very ordinary Earth. In fact, that was the whole point of it - an ordinary place for Makoto and the others to travel to an extraordinary place from. So, if your character is from Earth, he or she would be best off not being TOO out-of-the-ordinary. Being a crack assassin, or a secret agent, or a top-rated martial artist isn't out-of-the-question, but being a Necromancer or other magic-user is sketchy.

El-Hazard is a little more open. Depending on how you interpreted the series, there may be magic there, or at the very least, technology so advanced as to be indestinguishable from magic. Aliens exist, in the form of beings brought in from other dimensions, so a lot of leeway exists there. Again, though, we'll want to keep that within reason, simply to ensure that players will be able to related to other players' characters. While it might be feasable to use the Eye of God to beam in a C'tarl C'tarl from the Outlaw Star universe, is it really a good idea?

Panicpaladin, while I used you as an example, yours was a mild case. I doubt there's anyone here who doesn't know what a necromancer is, and there's numerous possible backgrounds that you could give as an excuse as to how your character came to have that history. Perhaps your character is not from Earth, but is, instead, from another dimension where necromancy is possible. Perhaps your character gained necromancy as his special ability when he came to El-Hazard from Earth, and worked as a necromancer for a while before the game began. Unlike many of the traits mentioned in my example above, necromancy could fit fairly well with the "feel" of El-Hazard, if used properly. (I'll bet the Shadow Tribe would be particularly fond of such tactics...)

Once I have a chance to meet with Fujisawa5654, we'll put together a few rules to help limit character creation a bit. In the meantime, everyone, as you all consider ideas for your characters, try to imagine whether the character you come up with could easily walk onto the set of El-Hazard and not seem tremendously out-of-place. That's the best guideline to follow.

Okay, Fujisawa4654 and I did some brainstorming last night, and came up with some background for the game which should help you in your character creation.

First, the game takes place in the future of El-Hazard. How far into the future, we haven't decided yet. (More on that at the end of this message.) There are many factions in El-Hazard - the Alliance, the Bugrom, the Phantom Tribe, and any other factions players want to come up with (like, say, the Popular People's Front of Gennan, or something - if you have ideas, suggest them, and we can consider them). However, the world is currently in an unsteady peace, with no faction currently moving against any other.

Then, something happened with the Eye of God. No one is certain why, or how, but it punched several holes through the dimensional wall, and drew a number of humans through from Earth. New people, with new ideas, and new abilities to be used. Could these newcomers be the catalyst that plunges El-Hazard once more into chaos? Or will they be the salve that finally heals the ancient grudges that keep El-Hazard in turmoil?

Player Characters: You may choose to be either from Earth, drawn into the world of El-Hazard by the Eye of God, or you may choose to be from El-Hazard. This pretty much means that you're limited to being either human, Bugrom, or Phantom Tribe. If you wish to be something other than this we can discuss this. But to keep things tidy, those are the rules for now.

If you are from Earth, you may choose a special power to give to your character. This can be... well... pretty much anything you can think of! But be reasonable. If you give your character a very powerful power, make sure it has some kind of very powerful drawback, as well. Fujisawa and I will step in if we (or other players) feel that a power is out-of-bounds, or its drawback is too minor.

If you're from El-Hazard, you can give your character pretty much any background you like. Again, within reason. If you have a special power (other than Phantom Tribe illusions for PT players, or Bugrom strength for Bugrom players) you should have a good explanation as to why you have it (i.e., Priestess training, or found a piece of ancient El-Hazard technology, or whatever else).

Now, the bit I alluded to at the beginning... We thought it would be a good idea to ask the other players just HOW FAR into the future we should put the game. So, here's another vote!

The game should take place:

a. 0 generations after OAV1. That is, less than ten years have passed since Makoto rescued Ifurita. The series regulars are still their prime, for the most part, and ready for adventure. They may have children, but those children are quite young. Players may not play the children of series regulars; the children are just too young. Great Priestess and other exclusive job titles may be available, but only if something tragic has happened to the previous holders of the positions.

b. 1 generation after OAV1. The series regulars are getting older, and they've passed on the reins of adventure to their children, who are in their teens and twenties. This isn't to say that the series regulars aren't up to a bit of swashbuckling, if the occasion demands it, but their kids would probably be embarrassed to have them around. Players may choose to play the children of series regulars, if they like. Great Priestess and other exclusive job titles may be available.

c. 2-3 generations after OAV1. The series regulars are getting pretty old. They're retired, and even their children are starting to show their age. Their grandkids are the heroes, now, but the old folks are still around to provide advice and comic relief when necessary (Granny Fatora, the Spry and Incorrigable Dirty Old Woman, anyone? ^_^;; ). Players may play the children of series regulars, if they choose, but would probably be better off playing the grand- or great-grandchildren. Great Priestess and other exclusive job titles are readily available.

d. More than 3 generations after OAV1. The series regulars are mostly deceased. Their descendants continue on, ready to create new legends and new adventures. Players may play the decendants of series regulars, if they choose. Great Priestess and other exclusive job titles are readily available.

My vote here is for c. Everyone else? It's important to decide fairly quickly, so that people who want to play children or decendents of series regulars will know whether they can or not. Let's set a deadline at midnight Friday. We'll count up the votes we have by then, and go with that. (We'll cut the vote short sooner, if all currently registered players vote before then.)

Granny Fatora: *Leers* Well, ain't you a sweet young thang!

Shayla Jr. Jr.: *Repulsed* Get offa me, you old hag!

Granny Fatora: *Cackles* C'mon, now, darlin'! You wouldn't deny an old woman on her last legs a li'l bit of fun, now wouldja? *Grope, grope*

Wow, you guys have sure done a lot! Now all you need is a starting plot device! (Other than the obvious "In a new world" thing, because that won't give the previous inhabitants of El-Hazard much to do.)

Oh yeah, and I have yet to vote too!

1. a2. c3. c

(Lol, I love Lar's half vote! That's so cute! )

Oh yes, and since I can't call Fatora, I'll do the next best thing... and makething... and make a Fatora-clone.

Another Idea I had that wasn;t really mentioned earlier was Demon Gods.. Should we put restrictions on them, since many people *coughscaucercough* will probably want to put one in? Just a thought.

Ah, Jewel_of_Roshtaria! It's good to see you back, since all this started with you.

Yes, there will need to be pretty severe restrictions placed on any Demon Gods that get added to the storyline, either as player characters, or as "possessions" of player characters. We will deal with these, and any other powerful ancient El-Hazard artifacts, on a case-by-case basis.

As for allowing you to be Granny Fatora - well, technically it's against the rules, if we go by the current popular vote. However, if no one minds, then I certainly don't think it would be a problem to give you honorary control over that particular non-player character.

You might want to consider making a player character to play, as well.

Oh, another thing I forgot to mention; for those people playing travellers from Earth, keep in mind that your character doesn't necessarily have to be from present-day Japan. The Eye can send people through both space and time, so feel free to design a character from any era or location you desire. Want to play a fourteenth century English knight? No problem. An astronaut from the future? We might need to discuss what technological advances you're allowed, but certainly! A member of the Spanish Inquisition? Could be cool - after all, NO ONE expects the Spanish Inquisition!

Language will not be a problem. Why? Well, it's complex. You see, because of the [technobabble] and the [technobabble], the newcomer's mind is [technobabble], thus attuning them to the general language of the human population of El-Hazard! So, whether you're from France, Zimbabwe, or Outer Mongolia, you all speak the same language when you get to El-Hazard. Now, isn't that just too convenient?

Kane is the grandchild of Shayla-Shayla and younger brother of 'Calya-Calya', the current priestress of fire.His mother was Priestress of fire before her, but as she disappeared on a yourney through the bugrom realmswithout any sign of life, it was decided to call her deceased (Kane was 2 and Calya-Calya 4 years old). At that time grandma Shayla-Shayla took care of Kane and his sister and began to educate them in the way priestresses were educated, at the age of 7 and 9 years.

Aware of that only his sister could become a priestress Shayla told Kane when he was 12 to leave and to gain ownexperience. So he left and went on his first yourney to find someone to teach and train him. Calya-Calya went tothe temples to become a priestress now. So the years passed by and Cayla-Cayla became the priestress of fire whileKane became martial artist.

At the age of 17 Kane returned to Roshtaria after he travelled the Bugrom realms and even trained a few month at the Phantom Tribe. He never made real friends in that time, so he got a little lonely.Back in Roshtaria he met his sister again. At first Calya-Calya didn't recognize him and fought him as he made a little fun of her. It was a hard and long fight and SHE won in the end. That was the time when he started to envyher abilitys and started to peek on her while she was training. He studied her moves and started to develop a strategyto beat her. But there was one problem: He had to gain control of fire as well.

So he started another yourney through the differend realms for about 2 years to find something to get that ability. He even started training at vulcanon pits what made him almost completely fire resistant. He failed this yourney and returned to Roshtaria again. When he met his sister this time, HE finally kicked HER ass! But a few months later SHEchallanged HIM again and won! And this is how it goes over and over again.

Now Kane is 19 and Calya-Calya 21. Their strenght is almost equal but they never stop trying to be better than the other.But they're still brother and sister so they make fun of each other, hold together and love each other as before.Grandma Shayla is very proud of them both and glad that all developed well.

I'll try to figure out a char. concept later today. I've been neglecting all of my RPs lately, thanks to personal stuff.

Logged

"I expect this battle to be entertaining, Captain. Now get inside, so we can get this thing underway. I want to see some wai-wai lovely violence within a few minutes." - Major Melanie Melissa Masterson III

Spanner, note that it's "previous" and not present, it would only go under background information that wouldn't launch into giant situations (or at least, that's what I hope)... But however, the rules have been set and I'll follow by them, so I'll edit it.